The center's latest map shows increases in size of the areas in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri that are experiencing exceptional drought conditions.

Meanwhile, there were slight — less than 1 percent point — changes in the sizes of areas suffering the less severe classifications: extreme, severe, moderate and abnormally dry (in descending order). And the amount of land where there are no dry conditions edged up to 22.32 percent from 21.86 percent last week.